Controlled and automatic memory process in Alzheimer''s disease

Treatment of cultured rat hepatocytes with cyclosporin A (0.01-1 microM) for 24, 48, or 72 h in the presence of insulin and epidermal growth factor induced an inhibition on cell proliferation in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 = 0.05 microM CsA corresponding to 48-h treatment. The inhibitory effect of CsA at < or = 0.1 microM doses for 48 h on [3H]thymidine uptake was reversed after withdrawal of the drug and subsequent addition of insulin plus EGF or serum; however, at 1 microM CsA the effect was irreversible and numerous bright small vesicles were observed. The molecular mechanism involved in CsA action in hepatocytes seems to be independent on cAMP and pertussis-toxin sensitive G proteins.     

The cellular interaction of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin in a human colon carcinoma cell line

The combination of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (CDDP) has been shown to have synergistic cytotoxicity in human tumours, but the biochemical mechanism for this interaction remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the interaction of 5-FU and CDDP in a human colon carcinoma cell line, NCI H548. A 24 h exposure to 5-FU resulted in a 5-FU IC50 value of 24.2 +/- 4.5 microM, Dm 22.6 microM; exposure to CDDP for 2 h resulted in a IC50 value of 20.8 +/- 8.0 microM, Dm 21.9 microM. When cells were exposed simultaneously to 5-FU for 24 h and CDDP for the initial 2 h, or when cells were treated with CDDP for 2 h followed by various concentrations of 5-FU for 24 h, no greater than additive cytotoxicity was observed. In contrast, when cells were treated with 5-FU for 24 h prior to CDDP for 2 h, a greater than additive interaction was noted (5-FU IC50 1.2 +/- 0.6 microM, Dm 1.3 microM, CI 0.45). Thymidine 10 microM partially reversed the growth inhibitory effects of the 5-FU/ CDDP combination. Using both immunological and biochemical assays, no notable differences in the total amount of TS enzyme or the fraction of bound TS enzyme could be detected in the absence or presence of CDDP. No notable differences could be detected in intracellular reduced folate pools, FdUMP or FUTP pools, or 5-FU incorporation into RNA or DNA with the addition of CDDP to 5-FU. DNA fragmentation studies revealed that the combination of 5-FU followed by CDDP demonstrated a greater degree of single-stranded DNA fragments in parental (P = 0.024) and newly synthesised DNA (P = 0.025) compared with the administration of CDDP prior to 5-FU or either drug alone. The increase in smaller DNA fragment size was reversed with the addition of thymidine (10 microM). These findings suggest that the interaction of 5-FU and CDDP is associated with a greater degree of fragmentation of both nascent and parental DNA.     

Cutaneous malignant melanoma in southern Sweden 1965, 1975, and 1985. Prognostic factors and histologic correlations

An in vitro model was established to investigate factors underlying the sensory hyperinnervation of neonatal rat skin wounds that has been observed in vivo (Reynolds and Fitzgerald, J. Comp. Neurol. 358 (1995) 487-489). Explants of normal and wounded rat dorsal foot skin were co-cultured with explants of embryonic chick or newborn rat dorsal root ganglia for 24 h and the number of sensory neurites counted. Explants of skin surrounding a wound made at birth were taken 3 (P3) or 10 (P10) days later and compared with normal skin of the same age. In addition, explants were taken from adult skin wounded 3 and 10 days earlier. At P3, normal skin induced weak neurite outgrowth (mean 13.1 +/- 2.1 neurites per ganglion explant) but skin that had been wounded 3 days earlier, at birth, induced three times more neurite outgrowth (37.8 +/- 3.3). Ten days after wounding at birth, neurite outgrowth was still substantial (40.9 +/- 3.3) although at that age (P10), even normal skin stimulates substantial growth (37.4 +/- 2.9). Normal adult skin also stimulated neurite outgrowth (28.7 +/- 0.45) but this was not increased by wounding 3 or 10 days earlier, and this was enhanced 3 days but not 10 days after wounding. Anti-NGF (nerve growth factor) added to the culture medium blocked the constitutive neurite stimulating activity from normal P10 and adult skin but was ineffective in blocking the neurite stimulating activity produced by neonatal wounding. It is concluded that skin wounding at birth results in release of one or more sensory neurotrophic factors that stimulate rat and chick dorsal root ganglia neurite outgrowth for at least 10 days, but which do not include NGF.     

The Canadian health care crisis and how to survive it: can cost effectiveness save Canadian doctors?

Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with cisplatin show a large inter-individual variation in tumor response. Little is known about factors that contribute to this variation. The aim of our study was to correlate the sensitivity to cisplatin with a number of cellular parameters using a panel of 10 human HNSCC cell lines. A 7-fold variation in response after 72 hr of exposure to cisplatin as determined in a colorimetric proliferation assay was observed. The IC50 values did not correlate with the DNA index, the cellular doubling time or the expression of differentiation markers. Intracellular platinum (Pt) concentrations were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy after exposing the cells to 10 microM cisplatin for 1-72 hr. The intracellular Pt levels increased up to 24 hr. One cell line, derived from the tumor of a patient previously treated with radiotherapy, accumulated much more Pt than the other cell lines. For these other cell lines, a significant positive correlation was found between Pt accumulation and sensitivity. In conclusion, cisplatin-induced growth inhibition in HNSCC in vitro is generally positively correlated with cellular Pt levels. However, the fact that occasionally cancer cells can survive despite high intracellular Pt levels indicates that additional parameters are needed to explain a response unequivocally.     

Genetic diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases and the therapeutic application

We have examined the effect of neutralizing TGF-beta antibodies on cisplatin-mediated cytotoxicity against MDA-231 human breast tumor cell spheroids. These tridimensional in vitro systems have been shown to recapitulate the drug sensitivity pattern of tumor cells in vivo. MDA-231 tumor cell spheroids exhibit higher protein levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitors p21 and p27 and >10-fold lower Cdk2 activity compared to adherent cell monolayers, as well as pRb hypophosphorylation, a predominant G1 population, and a cisplatin 1-h IC50 of approximately 100 microM. Treatment of MDA-231 cells in monolayer with cisplatin for 1 h, subsequently grown as spheroids, increased steady-state TGF-beta1 mRNA levels, secretion of active TGF-beta, cellular Cdk2 activity, pRb phosphorylation, and p21 protein levels, while downregulating p27. Accumulation of cells in G2M and progression into S were noted 48 h after treatment with 100 microM cisplatin. We tested whether drug-induced upregulation of TGF-beta1 and p21, perhaps by preventing cell cycle progression, were protective mechanisms against drug-mediated toxicity by using neutralizing anti-TGF-beta antibodies. Anti-TGF-beta antibodies diminished the induction of p21, enhanced the activation of Cdk2, and facilitated progression into S and G2M following cisplatin treatment. This resulted in a >twofold enhancement of drug-induced DNA fragmentation and a shift in the cisplatin 1-h IC50 from 100 to <10 microM. These data suggest that tumor cell TGF-beta1 may protect from DNA damage and that postchemotherapy administration of TGF-beta inhibitors may facilitate progression beyond G1/S, potentially increasing the efficacy of cytotoxic chemotherapy.     

The (8-thiotheophyllinate) (triphenylphosphine) gold (I), (tTAuP): a new gold complex as an anticancer agent

In continuous Friend leukemia cell exposure to tTAuP, the IC50 was 0.2 microM whereas in cells exposed 15 or 60 min to tTAuP followed by 72 h in drug-free medium the IC50 was 2.2 and 1.3 microM respectively. A combination of tTAuP and cisplatin (CDDP) is shown to be more active than either agent alone. Intracellular accumulation studies analysed by SXRF have shown that to achieve a cytotoxic effect, large concentrations of gold are necessary to accumulate in both the nuclear and cytoplasmic fraction. However, at cytostatic doses (1 microM), tTAuP has no effect on the cell cycle but does affect DNA synthesis. At a higher dose, greater than that necessary to induce cytotoxicity, it produces DNA damage, as observed by alkaline elution method. When cells were exposed to toxic doses of tTAuP (10 microM) in the presence of albumin, cytotoxicity was significantly reduced. Similar results were obtained when cells were co-treated with L-cysteine, dithiothreitol or reduced gluthatione. Reduced cytotoxic effect can be related to the interaction with free thiol groups. According to these data it is concluded that tTAuP is highly effective in vitro; whether it is active in vivo remains to be determined.     

Soluble factors from rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells stimulated cooperatively the neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells

Culture media from rat basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3) induced the neurite outgrowth of rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells, a model system for neuronal differentiation. The extension of the neurite outgrowth was dependent on the culture time of RBL-2H3 cells in the DMEM medium. The DMEM medium conditioned by RBL-2H3 cells for 48 h induced neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells significantly. The neurite extension was much higher than that by medium containing 1 ng/ml nerve growth factor (NGF) but was rather lower than that by medium containing 10 or 50 ng/ml NGF. The neurite extension by 50 ng/ml NGF was completely suppressed by excess anti-NGF antibody (1-1.5 microg/ml), while the extension by culture medium conditioned by RBL-2H3 cells for 48 h was not completely suppressed in the presence of the same amount of anti-NGF antibody. The neurite extension by the culture medium of RBL-2H3 cells was also suppressed by anti-interleukin (IL)-6 antibody (1 microg/ml), although IL-6 itself (20 units) could scarcely induce the neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells. This suggests that IL-6 in the culture medium of RBL-2H3 cells could be effective in inducing the neurite extension in cooperation with NGF. In the presence of an excess of both anti-NGF and anti-IL-6 antibodies, the culture medium of RBL-2H3 cells induced the neurite extension of PC12 cells. This suggests that the action of the various factors from RBL-2H3 cells may be synergistic as far as the neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells is concerned.     

Rapid recovery of a functional MDR phenotype caused by MRP after a transient exposure to MDR drugs in a revertant human lung cancer cell line

Prior studies have shown that, in some human tumour cells, increased expression of the multidrug resistance gene MDR1 can be induced in response to certain stress conditions such as a transient exposure to cytotoxic agents. Little is known about the possibility of increasing the expression of the recently cloned multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) in response to a transient exposure to cytotoxic drugs. In order to examine this possibility, we have used sensitive assays (RT-PCR, flow cytometry) and the sensitive large cell lung cancer cell line, COR-L23/P, and the revertant line (COR-L23/Rev), generated by growing the doxorubicin-selected, MRP-overexpressing resistant variant COR-L23/R without drug exposure for 24-28 weeks. COR-L23/Rev overexpresses MRP, but to a lesser extent than COR-L23/R. COR-L23/Rev rapidly recovered similar levels of MRP mRNA, protein expression, resistance and drug accumulation deficit as COR-L23/R after a 48-72 h exposure to cytotoxic concentrations of doxorubicin or vincristine but not cisplatin. The increase in MRP mRNA could only be detected 3 to 4 days after the transient exposure to drugs. However, when the parental line, COR-L23/P, was exposed to equitoxic doses of doxorubicin, vincristine or cisplatin, no increase in the levels of MRP mRNA could be observed at higher doses (5- to 10-fold the IC50) of doxorubicin or vincristine (but not of cisplatin), we detected a transient increase in the levels of MDR1 mRNA immediately after short-term exposure. In conclusion, we have shown that a human revertant lung cancer cell line (COR-L23/Rev) has the ability to recover quickly, similar levels of MRP expression and resistance as COR-L23/R after a transient exposure to the MDR-drugs doxorubicin and vincristine.     

Long recovery times improve the detection of cellular resistance in vitro

In vitro cytotoxicity testing is used increasingly during the development of clinical treatment protocols. These tests are influenced by many variables, not all of which have been assessed systematically yet. We analyzed the influence of the recovery time between the end of treatments and measurements on the detection of cellular resistance. The development of resistance to cisplatin and radiation was chosen as a model since the schedule of these treatments is the objective of several ongoing clinical trials. C6 rat glioma, T98G, 86HG-39, A172 human glioma and TE671 human rhabdomyo-sarcoma cells were pretreated with radiation or cisplatin. The cellular resistance was then compared in pretreated and wild-type cells using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test. In all cell lines, apparent drug concentrations killing 50% of the cells were dependent on the recovery time. In A172 cells this concentration was 10.3+/-02.1 microM after 48 h but decreased to 3.56+/-0.44 microM after 120 h recovery time (P < 0.001). After recovery times of more than 168 h, 53% of all pretreated cell lines were resistant to cisplatin or radiation, 25% were unchanged and 22% were more sensitive. However, only half the resistant cells could be identified when the MTT test was done with only 48 h recovery time. The sensitivity of detection increased from 0.46 to 0.83 when the recovery time of the test system was extended from 48 h to 168 h. The specificity was not dependent on the recovery time. Experiments showing resistance after short recovery times are reliable, but lack of resistance can only be shown in experiments with long recovery times. Cisplatin treatment can result in resistance to radiation in glioma cells.     

Ultrastructural effects of AAL-toxin TA from the fungus Alternaria alternata on black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.) leaf discs and correlation with biochemical measures of toxicity

Ultrastructural effects of AAL-toxin TA from Alternaria alternata on black nightshade (Solanum, nigrum L.) leaf discs and correlation with biochemical measures of toxicity. In black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.) leaf discs floating in solutions of AAL-toxin TA (0.01-200 microM) under continuous light at 25 degrees C, electrolyte leakage, chlorophyll loss, autolysis, and photobleaching were observed within 24 h. Electrolyte leakage, measured by the conductivity increase in the culture medium, began after 12 h with 200 microM AAL-toxin T(A), but was observed after 24 h with 0.01 to 50 microM AAL-toxin T(A), when it ranged from 25%) to 63% of total releasable electrolytes, respectively. After 48 h incubation, leakage ranged from 39% to 79% of total for 0.01 to 200 microM AAL-toxin T(A), respectively, while chlorophyll loss ranged from 5% to 32% of total, respectively. Ultrastructural examination of black night-shade leaf discs floating in 10 microM AAL-toxin TA under continuous light at 25 degrees C revealed cytological damage beginning at 30 h, consistent with the time electrolyte leakage and chlorophyll reduction were observed. After 30 h incubation chloroplast starch grains were enlarged in control leaf discs, but not in AAL-toxin T(A)-treated discs, and the thylakoids of treated tissue contained structural abnormalities. After 36-48 h incubation with 10 microM AAL-toxin T(A), all tissues were destroyed with only cell walls, starch grains, and thylakoid fragments remaining. Toxicity was light-dependent, because leaf discs incubated with AAL-toxin T(A) in darkness for up to 72 h showed little phytotoxic damage. Within 6 h of exposure to > or =0.5 microM toxin, phytosphingosine and sphinganine in black nightshade leaf discs increased markedly, and continued to increase up to 24 h exposure. Thus, phy siological and ultrastructural changes occurred in parallel with disruption of sphingolipid synthesis, consistent with the hypothesis that AAL-toxin T(A) causes phytotoxicity by interrupting sphingolipid biosynthesis, thereby damaging cellular membranes.     

Determinants of trimetrexate lethality in human colon cancer cells

We examined the cytotoxicity and biochemical effects of the lipophilic antifol trimetrexate (TMQ) in two human colon carcinoma cell lines, SNU-C4 and NCI-H630, with different inherent sensitivity to TMQ. While a 24 h exposure to 0.1 microM TMQ inhibited cell growth by 50-60% in both cell lines, it did not reduce clonogenic survival. A 24 h exposure to 1 and 10 microM TMQ produced 42% and 50% lethality in C4 cells, but did not affect H630 cells. Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and thymidylate synthase were quantitatively and qualitatively similar in both lines. During drug exposure, DHFR catalytic activity was inhibited by > or = 85% in both cell lines; in addition, the reduction in apparent free DHFR binding capacity (< or = 20% of control), depletion of dTTP, ATP and GTP pools and inhibition of [6-3H]deoxyuridine incorporation into DNA were similar in C4 and H630 cells. TMQ produced a more striking alteration of the pH step alkaline elution profile of newly synthesised DNA in C4 cells compared with 630 cells, however, indicating greater interference with DNA chain elongation or more extensive DNA damage. When TMQ was removed after a 24 h exposure to 0.1 microM, recovery of DHFR catalytic activity and apparent free DHFR binding sites was evident over the next 24-48 h in both cell lines. With 1 and 10 microM, however, persistent inhibition of DHFR was evident in C4 cells, whereas DHFR recovered in H630 cells. These data suggest that, although DHFR inhibition during TMQ exposure produced growth inhibition, DHFR catalytic activity 48 h after drug removal was a more accurate predictor of lethality in these two cell lines. Several factors appeared to influence the duration of DHFR inhibition after drug removal, including initial TMQ concentration, declining cytosolic TMQ levels after drug removal, the ability to acutely increase total DHFR content and the extent of TMQ-mediated DNA damage. The greater sensitivity of C4 cells to TMQ-associated lethality may be attributed to the greater extent of TMQ-mediated DNA damage and more prolonged duration of DHFR inhibition after drug exposure.     

Contribution of neurotrophin-3 to the neuropeptide Y-induced increase in neurite outgrowth of rat dorsal root ganglion cells

Recent studies show that neuropeptide Y acts indirectly, via release of a neurotrophic factor(s) from the spinal cord, to increase the neurite outgrowth of dissociated adult rat dorsal root ganglion cells. This study examines further the neuropeptide Y-induced increase in neurite outgrowth. To characterize the factor(s) mediating the neuropeptide Y-induced increase in neurite outgrowth, we have examined whether antisera to either nerve growth factor or neurotrophin-3 influence the neuropeptide Y-induced increase in neurite outgrowth. Spinal cord slices were incubated with media alone or in combination with 10 nM neuropeptide Y for 2 h at 37 degrees C. The supernatant of spinal cord incubated with neuropeptide Y significantly enhanced the neurite outgrowth of normal dorsal root ganglion cells. Antiserum against nerve growth factor had no effect on the trophic actions of the supernatant. Antiserum against neurotrophin-3, however, significantly attenuated the increase in neurite outgrowth. Consistent with this finding, neurotrophin-3 also increased the percentage of cells with neurites. Transganglionic labelling of A-fibres with choleragenoid-horseradish peroxidase in animals treated intrathecally with neurotrophin-3 for 14 days via an osmotic pump showed that the area of choleragenoid-horseradish peroxidase label expanded into lamina II. In comparison, saline-treated animals had no label in lamina II. In addition, neurotrophin-3-treated animals also had a significant decrease in mechanical nociceptive threshold. The results suggest that neuropeptide Y acts via neurotrophin-3 to mediate an increase in neurite outgrowth of dorsal root ganglion cells. These results have important implications for the mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain.     

Experience of treatment for giant cell tumor of the upper tibia

Cell cycle analysis using flow cytometer (FCMX) was performed to evaluate the influence of cyclosporin A (CsA) on cellular proliferation during compensatory renal growth (CRG) in uninephrectomized (Ux) rats. CsA (50 mg/kg/day) was administered subcutaneously for 7 days and animals were scarificed 0, 12, 24, 48, 72, 120 and 168 h after Ux. The percent changes in the S (DNA synthesis) and G2M (DNA replication) phases in the contralateral kidney were analyzed. The cortical cells entering the S and G2M phases showed significant differences between CsA and vehicle groups (p = 0.0001, p = 0.001, respectively), but the medullary cells entering the S and G2M phases showed no significant differences between the 2 groups (p = 1.000, respectively). In the cortex, the CsA group showed a significant decrease in the S (at 12, 72 and 120 h) and G2M phases (at 24, 72 and 120 h) compared to the vehicle group (p < 0.05, respectively), but there was no significant difference in the medulla. In conclusion, cellular proliferation is suppressed in cortical cells by CsA.     

Intratumoral chemotherapy with a sustained-release drug delivery system inhibits growth of human pancreatic cancer xenografts

This study provides the first evidence that treatment of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma is markedly improved by the intratumoral administration of chemotherapeutic agents in a novel drug delivery system. The effect of chemotherapeutic agents delivered in a sustained-release, protein-based, injectable gel was evaluated on the growth of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line, BxPC-3. In vitro chemosensitivity of BxPC-3 cells exposed for 24 or 72 h to fluorouracil (0.01-5 mM), cisplatin or doxorubicin (0.1-50 microM) and floxuridine, vinblastine, mitomycin or paclitaxel (1.0-100 microM) was compared with that of untreated cells. In vitro chemosensitivity was also studied with fluorouracil and mitomycin in the poorly differentiated PANC-1, human pancreatic cancer cell line. Survival was determined after 7-10 days. All drugs decreased cell growth in a dose-dependent fashion. The efficacy of fluorouracil, cisplatin and doxorubicin increased with prolonged exposure, rendering these drugs most appropriate for a sustained-release preparation. For in vivo studies, athymic nude mice bearing BxPC-3 xenografts were treated either with fluorouracil, cisplatin or doxorubicin in the therapeutic injectable gel containing epinephrine or with vehicle alone administered intratumorally on days 1 and 4. After 28 days, the mice were sacrificed and tumors dissected and weighed. Tumors in mice treated with the injectable gel decreased in size by 72-79% compared with tumors in untreated controls and tumors treated with vehicle alone. Intratumoral injection of drug solution and intraperitoneal injection of drug in the injectable gel did not change tumor size compared with controls. In a drug-retention study, mice were injected intratumorally with [3H]fluorouracil either in the injectable gel or in solution. Sustained radioactivity was observed in tumors injected with the gel, and, conversely, greater radioactivity was detected in the liver and kidneys in mice receiving the radiolabeled solution. These results suggest that the therapeutic injectable gel chemotherapy, when given intratumorally, may improve tumor response with less systemic toxicity in comparison with conventional systemic chemotherapy.     

MAG and MOG enhance neurite outgrowth of embryonic mouse spinal cord neurons

Myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) inhibits neurite outgrowth of postnatal spinal cord neurons, but its effect on embryonic neurons is unknown. The effect on neurite outgrowth of another myelin protein, myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is also unknown. We determined the effect of MAG and MOG on embryonic day 17 spinal cord neurons, which were cultured on MAG, MOG or control transfected CHO cells. Neurite outgrowth was examined and both total neurite length and longest neurite length were significantly enhanced by both MAG and MOG. These findings show that, in contrast to postnatal spinal cord neurons, MAG can enhance neurite outgrowth of embryonic spinal cord neurons. In addition, another myelin protein, MOG, can also modulate neurite outgrowth.     

Ro 25-6981, a highly potent and selective blocker of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors containing the NR2B subunit. Characterization in vitro

The interaction of Ro 25-6981 with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors was characterized by a variety of different tests in vitro. Ro 25-6981 inhibited 3H-MK-801 binding to rat forebrain membranes in a biphasic manner with IC50 values of 0.003 microM and 149 microM for high- (about 60%) and low-affinity sites, respectively. NMDA receptor subtypes expressed in Xenopus oocytes were blocked with IC50 values of 0.009 microM and 52 microM for the subunit combinations NR1C & NR2B and NR1C & NR2A, respectively, which indicated a >5000-fold selectivity. Like ifenprodil, Ro 25-6981 blocked NMDA receptor subtypes in an activity-dependent manner. Ro 25-6981 protected cultured cortical neurons against glutamate toxicity (16 h exposure to 300 microM glutamate) and combined oxygen and glucose deprivation (60 min followed by 20 h recovery) with IC50 values of 0.4 microM and 0.04 microM, respectively. Ro 25-6981 was more potent than ifenprodil in all of these tests. It showed no protection against kainate toxicity (exposure to 500 microM for 20 h) and only weak activity in blocking Na+ and Ca++ channels, activated by exposure of cortical neurons to veratridine (10 microM) and potassium (50 mM), respectively. These findings demonstrate that Ro 25-6981 is a highly selective, activity-dependent blocker of NMDA receptors that contain the NR2B subunit.     

Mechanisms and clinicophysiological implications of the sniff- and gasp-like aspiration reflex

This study was undertaken to determine the bioconcentration-elimination process of fenitrothion in the liver of the european eel (Anguilla anguilla). The animals were exposed to two sublethal fenitrothion concentrations corresponding to 1/5 and 1/10 of LC50 96-h in a flow-through test system. Uptake kinetics were determined from liver burdens measured at 2, 8, 24, 48, 56, 72 and 96 hours exposure. After pesticide exposure, animals were transferred to clean water for 72 hours. Fenitrothion elimination was determined after 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours of recovery period. The insecticide showed a high bioconcentration tendency. Steady-state was reached after 48 hours exposure when the animals where exposed to the lowest concentration. This was followed with a rapid elimination process when the animals were transferred to clean water. Animals exposed to 0.04 ppm showed an early accumulation of the toxicant into the liver, and a steady-state was reached after 8 hours. The elimination rate constant K2 of 0.0096 h-1 and 0.06 h-1 were estimated from the data. The biotransformation rate of fenitrothion in the European eel were low as indicated by a relatively short half-life (11.55 h) of the insecticide. An increase in the Hepatosomatic Index was observed after 96 hours of exposure, but no significant differences were found between control and exposed animals.     

Mechanism of toxicity of precocene II in rat hepatocyte cultures

Precocene II was more toxic in 24 hour cultures than in 72 hour cultures of rat hepatocytes. In 24 hour cultures, there was no observable toxicity at 75 microM precocene II after exposure for 6 hours, but after 24 hours, 65% of the cells were dead. In contrast, although 794 microM killed 50% of the cells in the 72 hour cultures after a 24 hour exposure, 1 mM killed 96% of the cells within 6 hours. In both 24 and 72 hour cultures, cell death was preceded by a rapid, early loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, followed by decreases in glutathione, reduced pyridine nucleotide status, and plasma membrane Na+/K+-ATPase activity. There was also a rapid loss of ATP in the 72 hour cultures but not in the 24 hour cultures; therefore, onset of cell death may be closely linked to loss of ATP. Inhibition of cytochrome P-450 prevented the toxicity, and partially protected against the loss of membrane potential and glutathione, in 24 hour cultures but was ineffective in 72 hour cultures. Therefore, in addition to depletion of glutathione, precocene II appears to damage mitochondria and plasma membrane functions and can do so by more than one pathway.     

Neurite outgrowth of striatal neurons in vitro: involvement of purines in the growth-promoting effect of myenteric plexus explants

We have shown previously that a soluble factor(s) released by the myenteric plexus promotes neurite outgrowth from postnatal striatal neurons, and that this effect was abolished by tetrodotoxin. We have now investigated the possible involvement of purines in the mediation of this neuritogenic response, by examining their effect on neurite length of striatal neurons both in co-culture with myenteric plexus explants and cultured alone. Both ATP and 2-chloroadenosine partially reversed the inhibitory effect of tetrodotoxin in co-cultures with whole myenteric plexus, while the stable ATP analogue, alpha, beta-methylene ATP, had no effect, suggesting that ATP was being broken down to adenosine before exerting its action. Further support for this view was that the ATP (P2) purinoceptor antagonist suramin did not reverse the effects of ATP, while the adenosine (P1) purinoceptor antagonist 8-(p-sulphophenyl)theophylline did antagonize the effects of ATP in tetrodotoxin-treated co-cultures. Further, both 8-(p-sulphophenyl)theophylline and adenosine deaminase reduced the effect of the myenteric plexus on striatal neurons in the absence of tetrodotoxin, and the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin completely reversed the effect of tetrodotoxin in our co-culture system. The neurite outgrowth-promoting effect of 2-chloroadenosine in tetrodotoxin-treated co-cultures was not further enhanced by a combination of neuropeptides. Serotonin and GTP were without effect on striatal neurons in the presence or absence of myenteric plexus explants. In experiments without myenteric plexus, both 2-chloroadenosine and forskolin caused a slight increase in striatal neurite length; ATP and GTP were ineffective. Basic fibroblast growth factor, nerve growth factor, neurotrophin-3 or neurotrophin-4/5 had no effect on neurite outgrowth in postnatal striatal cultures after two days in vitro. When these growth factors were added in combination with 2-chloroadenosine, the observed increase in mean neurite length did not exceed that induced by 2-chloroadenosine alone. Both 2-chloroadenosine and the ganglioside mix AGF1 increased neurite elongation of striatal neurons after two days in vitro, but an inhibition of enhanced neurite outgrowth was observed when both substances were added together. Both laminin and fibronectin were not neuritogenic for postnatal striatal neurons under our culture conditions. These observations suggest that a factor other than the growth factors tested here is involved in the promotion of striatal neurite outgrowth in co-culture with myenteric plexus explants. In summary, adenosine (probably acting through the A2 subclass of the P1 purinoceptor) leads to increased striatal neurite outgrowth in co-culture with myenteric plexus and we propose that it does so either (1) by triggering the release of a neuritogenic factor, possibly from enteric glial cells, or (2) by acting synergistically with such a growth factor. Adenosine acts via P1 purinoceptors, which leads to changes in cyclic AMP, and the response to forskolin suggests that cyclic AMP is probably involved in the events leading to increased striatal neurite outgrowth.